Ethiopia claims responsibility for downing coronavirus supply jet

Media reports say a private Kenyan plane recently downed in Somalia was shot by troops deployed from Ethiopia. So far, the African Union’s Somalia mission AMISOM has only called for a joint investigation.
Kenya media, including the Daily Nation newspaper, claim that troops from Ethiopia operating inside Somalia — but not assigned to the African Union (AU) mission AMISON — mistakenly shot down the Kenyan cargo plane last Monday.

The aircraft, an Embraer EMB 120 carrying humanitarian and medical supplies to handle potential coronavirus cases, crashed on approach to Bardale in central Somalia, reportedly killing its six occupants.

AMISON on Tuesday said it welcomed the decision by leaders of “Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia to investigate the incident” that reportedly involved a rocket firing.

Daily Nation, and other outlets, on Saturday cited what it called a “preliminary report” filed by AMISOM disclosing that “non-AMISOM” Ethiopian troops guarding the Bardale airstrip were surprised by the plane’s “unusual” flight approach.